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Pinocchio is by all odds the best puppet-story to be found anywhere, and we sigh in sympathy with the funny little chap's scrapes and punishments, or chuckle at his pranks, while we feel like exclaiming, "Why, how much Pinocchio must have been like me!" The author of this captivating tale, Signor Lorenzini, or "Collodi" as he liked to call himself after his native town in Italy, lived during the 19th century (1826-90) and devoted himself to writing and education, believing that one pleasing way to teach was through puppet-plays.

The concept of life as a pilgrimage, or a path from ignorance to realization, is central in the writings of the philosopher and New Thought pioneer James Allen (1864-1912). According to Allen, all men must and will follow this path, at the end of which is a state of spiritual satisfaction, which can be attained only by the earnest efforts of the seeker. While progress along the path necessitates the "strenuous tread" of the pilgrim, there are also valuable opportunities for rest and refreshment.

This is one of the last works of James Allen and was first published posthumously in 1913. As Lily Allen says in her preface: "Like all his works it is eminently practical. He never wrote theories, or for the sake of writing, or to add another to his many books; but he wrote when he had a message, and it became a message only when he had lived it out in his own life, and knew that it was good. Thus he wrote facts, which he had proven by practice."

This collection, first published in 1917, features the works of 10 Russian poets who were active in the early 20th century. In the preface, the anthologist and translator, Paul Selver, writes: "It is hoped that this collection will convey a fairly adequate idea of the chief features in modern Russian poetry, a branch of Russian literature which has so far received very little serious attention in this country."

Although the historicity of Sun Tzu is today in dispute, his short treatise on the art of war has remained a preeminent classic of military philosophy and practice. In this small audiobook, the author describes in trenchant detail the approach and methods required for success in any combative endeavor. The principles he enunciates have been widely applied not only by leaders in the military but also in business, politics, sports, and education.

James Allen (1864-1912) was a philosopher and pioneer of the New Thought movement. A prolific author, his works have become a fundamental source for many of the concepts used today in motivational and self-help programs. The Mastery of Destiny is Allen's treatise on the apparent conflict between fate and free will. He states that there is a method by which these opposing forces can be reconciled.

The Boor (sometimes translated as The Bear) is an atypical romantic comedy by Anton Chekhov. A surly landowner visits a widow who is one of his debtors - with unexpected results.

Among the monuments of world literature, few works have been as influential as the Divine Comedy. Dante's compendious allegory of a journey through the world of the afterlife is significant on many levels. It established Italian as a literary language, and consolidated the position of Florentine Italian as the lingua franca of the Italian peninsula. As an engaging portrait of the social and intellectual life in medieval Florence it is unrivalled

Grieving for a loved one can be a dangerous business, especially when the Devil offers to help soothe the pain. In this quirky radio drama, the Prince of Darkness gives his hapless victim rather more than he wants.

Miss Julie is probably the most famous play by the Swedish playwright August Strindberg, one of the founding fathers of naturalistic theater. In this claustrophobic drama, the interplay between social order and individual identity is explored in great detail. At the end the aristocratic Julie, goaded by her manipulative manservant, John, is faced with the ultimate decision: independence or annihilation.

Although unfamiliar with the Persian language, the eminent English poet and critic Richard le Gallienne had a profound interest in the Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam. In 1901 he published a collection of 261 quatrains, which was based on earlier English translations, in particular the prose version by Justin Huntly McCarthy. In his introduction, Le Gallienne suggests that his ignorance of Persian was in fact an advantage as it allowed him to focus on producing good poetry rather than merely an accurate translation.

This book, a true spiritual classic, consists of notes of several conversations had with, and letters written by, Nicholas Herman, of Lorraine, a humble man of little education. After having served as a soldier and a footman, Herman was admitted as a lay brother to the order of the barefooted Carmelites at Paris in 1666, where he took the name "Brother Lawrence." The conversations are supposed to have been recorded by Joseph de Beaufort, who later became vicar general to the Archbishop of Paris.

Together with the Iliad, the Odyssey, The Divine Comedy and Paradise Lost, the Aeneid is one of the true monuments of world literature. Like all these great classics, over the centuries it has become stultified by academic formalism, and its true glory as a narrative of thrilling power and richness has become very much obscured. This new translation seeks to highlight the vigor and immediacy of Virgil's epic while still respecting the grandeur of the original language.

The subject and argument of the poem are clear from the title. However, unlike Juvenal, Johnson espoused the view that Christian values are an essential aspect of a life well lived. While Johnson passes harsh judgement on the foolishness of greed and social pretensions, his scorn is much tempered by that natural compassion that has made him one of the most lovable figures in English literature.

The turn of the 20th century saw radical developments in all art forms and particularly in poetry. The first volume of this series features the work of nine significant poets whose careers cover the period from the late 19th century to the early 20th century.

In recent times the philosophy and practices promoted by the New Thought movement have attracted much attention through the burgeoning of the self-help industry and films such as "The Secret." Among New Thought authors, William Walker Atkinson was not only one of the most eminent, but also one of the most prolific. One of his most notable works is the mental training manual, Your Mind and How to Use It, first published in 1911. A new recording of a self-help classic, narrated by Denis Daly.

Two themes that recur very frequently in the works of James Allen are passion and purity. However, unlike many writers on moral discipline, the author regards purity as the natural state of man, which has been obscured by passionate attachment to external artefacts. Once the waves of passion are stilled, attachment falls away, allowing the seeker to attain a transcendent purity of vision and thus behold the reality that underlies the illusion of change.

Rosmersholm is a play surrounding the deep and intense political and cultural change in Norway in the middle of the 1880s, a period during which the traditional ruling class were forced to relinquish their right to impose their ideals on the rest of society. We follow Johannes Rosmer, a pastor who has resigned from his position; Rebecca West, a woman who sees Rosmer's potential and believes she can help him to realize his dream of creating a world of "happy, noble people"; and Headmaster Kroll, Rosmer's former best friend.

New Thought author and philosopher James Allen (1864 - 1912) is best known for his treatises on moral development and the power of thought, the most famous of which is As a Man Thinketh. In 1907 Allen also published a collection of poems, entitled Poems of Peace. Most of the pieces take the form of aphorisms and admonitions, delivered with the author's typical earnestness.

While debate continues about the historicity of Lao Tzu, Tao Te Ching, the collection of sayings attributed to him, has remained one of the most influential religious texts of all time. Using simple yet profound language, the author probes the eternal mystery of the Tao, the elusive substrate which underlies all creation.